Time to look back and own up

Owning up. Taking responsibility. Not casting blame. Taking charge of your life. Being an actual grown-up.

Like so many truisms, we hear the words but may not truly consider or understand their meaning.

An example would be, “At this age, I don’t care what other people think of me.” I’m reminded of Maria Olsen, featured in E#167 50 at Fifty, who despite the fact that her financial situation and social status had crashed she would frequently say of her new social standing, “I don’t care what other people think of me” until she found herself in a “diminished” situation in the presence of a fancy former friend and she caught herself feeling uncomfortable and a bit ashamed of her circumstances, if only for a moment.

Can any of us truly say that we don’t care? If I’m being honest, I have to say that I do care. Not always or in all ways, but I care.

Taking responsibility for your life

In this episode, we are talking about taking responsibility for your life. Owning up to our good and bad decisions, but even more importantly being honest with ourselves in asking, “Did I even make those decisions or did I just let life happen to me?”

Taking the idea forward now, are you in charge of the choices and decisions for your next 30 years? 10 years? 2020? Think about it. How seriously are you taking this responsibility? This is your responsibility not just for yourself but to yourself.

My guest today wrote a book, his story begins as the youngest of ten children in a dysfunctional family. Abuse takes place, and though it may account for some of his later behavior, that is not what the book is about. That is only a part of his story.

This story of an ordinary man is riveting in its account of ordinary milestones: graduate from high school, first job, first marriage, first child born, first divorce, second marriage, second child, constant financial pressure, skirting the poverty line, legal actions by Child Protective Services, living in squalor, zigging and zagging across the country, family fights, and then… our leading man, our guest today, at the age of 50 he has his epiphany. He comes to terms with his need to finally grow up. He takes charge of his own life. Without a job, shouldering a rock-bottom credit score and an amassed net worth of $7,000 cash from selling his possessions on eBay, he begins his new life at 50.

This is a very courageous man, an honest man, and I will come back to you after the interview with some thoughts on this extraordinary interview.